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Michigan football podcast: Balas and Skene Show, post-Illinois

Chris Balasby: Chris Balas10/21/24Balas_Wolverine
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore has U-M at 5-5. (Eric Seals | USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore has U-M at 5-5. (Eric Seals | USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Michigan fell to 4-3 with an embarrassing setback at Illinois, scoring only one touchdown in a 21-7 loss. The Wolverines’ problems at quarterback continued, but the offensive line struggled again, too — another step backward in what’s been a rough season for Grant Newsome‘s group.

RELATED: Ten things we think we learned in Michigan’s loss at Illinois

“My job right now is to figure out every single way this team can get better,” head coach Sherrone Moore said after the loss. “Not worrying about emotions or thoughts, but making sure the players in that locker room get better tomorrow, get better the next day, and go and win this next game. That’s really all I’m focused on right now.”

Michigan veteran Jeff Persi filled in for injured Myles Hinton at left tackle and struggled, while Andrew Gentry was a bit of an upgrade at right tackle. Overall, though, the offensive line wasn’t good enough again, allowing five sacks and struggling much of the day.

Body language wasn’t great for much of the game, but Moore said he wasn’t disappointed with the effort.

“It’s an execution thing,” he said. “It’s not that these guys aren’t tough or gritty. We’ve just got to execute the little things. We’ve got to make the completions. We’ve got to find proper hat placement to do little things and not turn the ball over. You don’t turn the ball over, you win the game. But you can’t live in the ‘what if’ world. You just have to go execute and possess the football.

“Just overall, offensively it was not good enough, at all. Disappointing in a lot of areas. [Michigan quarterback] Jack [Tuttle] can’t turn the ball over. You’ve got to get the guys that when they’re open, we’ve got to complete those passes … just got to be better. I thought Colston [Loveland] played well. He made some plays. I thought Kalel [Mullings] played well, ran hard. But yeah, three turnovers in a Big Ten game, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing, you’re not going to win. We’ve just got to be better on offense.”

Chris Balas and former Michigan All-Big Ten offensive lineman Doug Skene break it down in today’s podcast.

 

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